Bridge-washer.



/ y. A v, OFFICE."

. y HENRY P. KRAFT, 0F RIDGEWOD, NEW JERSEY.

BRIDGE-WASHER.

Appli-cation led September T0 all whom t may concern.' .l

Be it known that I, HENRY P. 4KRAFT, a citizen of the United States of America, -residing in Ridgewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented ,4

certain new and useful Improvementsl vin Bridge-Washers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bridge washers," and aims to provide certain improvements therein. y p i l I l' In the use of pneumatic tire valves is common to provide a so-called bridge washer which, as shown'in Figs. 4 and 5, aretapered which is carried by thevalve casing, nd -is adapted to lit between the inner edges of the tire shoe to prevent movements of the valve. The valve is usually provided with a-n inner flange which fits inside of the inner tube, and with a so-called ring washer which is pressed against the outer side of the tube whereby the valve is clamped` in the tube.- Usually the clamping actionI is effected by a nut screwing on the exterior of the valve and forcing the bridge washer and ring Washer inwardly. The ring washer and bridge washer are provided with oblong openings. through `which the valve casing extends, the latter being flattened on two sides to correspond to the shape of' such openings. The result of this construction is that both the bridge-washer and ring washer are non-rotatively held on the casing. The- Valve is formed next to its flange with a reduced neck in which the inner tube fits, but the ring washer is of greater thickness than i such neck, so that it still engages the flattened casing when it is forced against the, inner tube.

Thering washer is usually formed with yaf corrugated or roughened face to assist in holding the inner tube firmly clamped against the flange.- The bridge washer for cheapness and convenience of'manufacture hasv been made of sheet metal, and the ring Washer has been made separately therefrom and of thicker material. According tothe present invention the bridge washer has been constructed to perform tlie additional function of the ring washer while retaining the present gage of metal. I am enabled to accomplish this by providing the bridge washer4 with a corrugated face and a collar or flange extending from the washer in such manner that it engages the flattened sides' ofthe valve and prevents, turning of the Specification of Letters Patent.

f Patented ocaaieie. 1,1915. ser1a11vo.4s,39o.

valve, even when clamped againstthe inner tube to the maximum extent.

In the drawings which illustrate one form of the improved-bridge washer. Fig. 2 is a sectlonallview of the same as applied to a4 of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation /tire valve. Fig. V3 is a cross-sectional View /v'i'ew of the Washer. Fig. 5 is an inner or bottom View.

,Referring to the drawings, let Aindicate the washer as a whole which is formed' with a body portion B and inclined ends C C to fit between -the inner edges of thetire shoe.

Referring to Fig. 2, D is the usual form- 'of tire valve having an inner flange E which passes within the inner tube F -of the tire. The valve is formed witha neck or' reduced portion G into which the tire tube fits when the valve is in .place The bridge washer is formed with an oblong hole H Which fits' over the valve casing, the latter being provided with flattened sides J so that the fof Fig. 1 on. the line Fig. 4A is a top v f washer is not capable of rotation with relai tion to the valve easing.

Referring tothe present invention, I form a series of eorrugations, such as K, on-thevtop side of the bridge washer which are adapted to bear against the inner tube F and clamp the same against the flange E.

If the bridge washer were formed of the o1:-

dinary thickness of metal which is desirable from the standpoint of economy and ease of production, it would be apt toslip' down around the neck G of the valveV when forced against the inner tube, and thus be liable to displacement and rotation about the valve, which is undesirable. I, therefore, form'on'- the bottom of the washer a flange or collar L which when the washer is made of sheet metal is preferably stamped down, as best indicated in Figs. l and 3. The flange L, asillustrated in Fig.t 5, has the same ,oblong shape as the hole H, and is thus adapted to engage the flattened valve casing to prevent rotation of the Washer. The ange or collar L is ofl suliicient depth to engage the flat'- tened portion ofthe valve casing in any position which the sume in use. It is bridge washer will asthus insured that the Abridgeswasher will always remain in its means vmay lbe employed for forcing the bridge Washer toward the inner tube, such as the usual nut M.' f y `While I have shown and described one forni of the invention it Will be understood that I do not Wishto be limited thereto, as various impi'oveineiits'may be made therein vitithout` departing from the invention.- It

will, of course, be understood that the shape of the bridge Washeris unessential, so long as it performs the function of gripping the tireshoe or casing.

l'elaiin is v As anew article of manufacture, a bridge washer adapted for use with a valve stem having a flattened side portion and having its neck reduced in diameter adjacent an end to receive a tire tube, said bridge Washer formed of sheet metal and provided with a passageway therethrough and having on its `outer side a relatively broad face adapted to contact with said' tire tube over a considerable area 1n lieu of a ring Washer, a lange on said bridge Washer bordering said pas sage and extending from the inner face oi' .i

the bridge Washer, said flange and 'washer having With said tube a. width greater than the said reduced portion of said neck, Whereby said. iange is adapted to embrace the body of said tire valve inwardly of ite neck, said fiangebeing turned at substantially right angles to the inner face of the 'bridge Washer and having afiattened portion to engagethe iiattened portion of said valve.

In Witness whereof, have hereunto signed my naine in the presence of tivo sul sci-ibing witnesses.

HENRY P. KRAFT llfitnesses THOMAS F. lViiLLAonJ FRED WHITE. 

